Sacred space is a phrase that carries dual meaning for me. On the more physical hand, it means a place of worship, of particular religious significance. It is a place where I can go and feel the power and glory of God and meditate in his presence. Yet humans do not all worship the same deity. Instead, we practice countless different religions, which in turn mean many physical religious locations. The religious demographics of our class are a microcosm of these phenomena: some of us are Christian, others Jewish, agnostic, atheist, or otherwise spiritual. Such a vast array of beliefs means that my physical definition of a sacred space is likely very different from that of you or another.
My other definition of sacred space is my soul. My soul is a place that is sacred and pure, indwelt by the Holy Spirit and a refuge from the troubles of the world. It is with me wherever I travel, at all times of day. I can go there at a moment’s notice, and stay there as long as I wish. When I am troubled, I seek refuge there, and always find comfort and peace. My sacred space gives me courage when I am scared, provides comfort when I am sorrowful, grants me peace when I am anxious, and offers forgiveness when I sin.
The ultimate sacred space, however, is when I can combine the physical location of a church with my internal space. When this happens, I feel completely carefree and at peace. No worries can breach the safety of this stronghold, and no sin can contaminate it. It is constant and powerful, allowing me a place to escape from the problems that I face each day. I am restored and reinvigorated by the power of God, and can leave with a new spring in my step and purpose in my life.
I love this post. I can relate completely to the idea of a dualistic sacred space including both physical and emotional aspects. This concept relates to the Native American idea of a sort of "over-soul" that encompasses the physical world. While the physical location of worship is unique to the person, every person is connected to the emotional soul and that is what creates real meaning for the individual. I also very much like the idea that it is in the unity of these two aspects of sacred space that the greatest peace or enlightenment is found. For example, a person who may find his or her strongest spiritual connection in nature will be able to think more profoundly when they are alone in nature. This is a very well done and thought provoking blog post, well done.
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